Wire straightener



Jan. 14, 1941. R HELLER 2,228,390

WIRE STRAIGHTENER Filed May 12, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 //'v VE/V TOR RICHARD DHELL'ER,

R. D. HELLER WIRE STRAIGHTENER Jan. 14, 1941. 2,228-,-3 0

Filed may 12, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan. 14, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE wma STRAIGHTENER Richard D. Heller, Boise, Idaho Application May 12, 1929, Serial No. 273,229 20 Claims. (01. 140-141) This invention relates to a wire straightener and particularly to such a device which is adapted to straighten wire which has been .wound on a drum. An object of the invention therefore is I to provide an improved and simplified form of wire straightener which is very eflicient in its operation. V

A father object of the invention is to provide a wire straightener which can be readily I adjusted to accommodate wires of diilerent size and to treat wires requiring different degrees of straightening action.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a wire straightener which can straighten wedge wire or any other wire which has a contour other than round as, for example, a wire having a polygonal cross-section.

Other objects of the invention will appear hereinafter, thenovel features and combinations being set forth in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the improved wire straightener comprising my invention;

Fig. 2 is an end view taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; Fig. 3 is a plan view of the device; Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 looking in the direction of the arrows; and Fig. 5 is a partial sectional view taken along the line 5-4 of Fig. 2 showing particularly the path of the wire in traveling through the device.

It is ofttimes necessary to straighten wire which has been received, for example on a reel, and one 5 illustration of thisv requirement is in the making of screen cloth of parallel strands of high carbon or piano wire. That is, as the high carbon or piano wire is removed fromn spool or reel it has a fixed setting caused by being placed on the spool or reel, and before a parallel wire screen cloth is made it is desirable to remove this setting and return the wire to a substantially straight condition. The wire straightener comprising my invention is particularly adapted for this purpose and, as above mentioned, is not only useful to straighten wires of different sizes and different cross-sectional shapes, such as round, polygonal or wedge wire, but the. degree of straightening action on any wiremay be variably determined.

The wire straightener comprises an outer cylinder Ill within which is mounted for rotation concentrically therewith an inner cylinder II. The outer cylinder II is provided at its opposite ends with downwardly extending feet l2, l2 having 66 bottom attaching plates l3, I! from which extend angularly inclined alternate attaching plates i4, I4. Plates [3 and I4 are provided with attaching holes l5 and I6, respectively, adapted selectively to receive machine screws by which the straightener is attached to any desired form of 8 base. It is evident that if plates I3 are attached to the base the straightener will be held'in the position illustrated in the several figures oi the drawings, while if it is attached by the plates 16 it will be rotated through an angle of approxil0 mately thirty degrees. Generally the straightener is supported on plates l3 when round wire is being straightened and on plates l4 when wedge wire is being straightened, particularly if the wedge wire is formed in a screen with a top flat surface thereof horizontal.

Extending longitudinally along the outside of the outer cylinder iii are three guide bars ll, 18 and I9. Each of the bars I1, I13, and i9 is supported at opposite ends from the outer cylinder 20 III by means best seen by reference to guide rod l1 and Fig. 1 of the drawings. As here illustrated, at each end the outer cylinder I0 is provided with an upstanding bolt 20 having an enlarged base 2| which is attached to said cylinder 2! ID, as by welding. Each bolt 20 is provided with a nut 22 which limits the radial outward or, in

other words, the upward movement of the guide bar ll, each bolt 20 extending loosely through a hole or aperture in an end of the guide bar ll. 8. In other words, each guide bar I'I, I8 and I9 is attached to the outer cylinder in by means permitting limited radial inward and outward movement, for a purpose hereinafter pointed out.

It is also to be noted that the guide bars I1, I8 28 and I!) are spaced apart degrees around the circumferences of the outer cylinder l0. Said guide bars l1, l8 and iii are urged toward the center of the cylinder III by duplicate pairs of spring compression means on opposite ends 40 thereof comprising coil springs 23, the opposite ends of which are attached to wings 24, there being a pair of said wings 24 on each bar l1, l8 and I9 near each end of said outer cylinder Ill.

It is evident that the springs 23 in cooperation with the wings 24 will urge the guide bars -l'l, l8 and is toward the center of cylinder l0.

Extending longitudinally and inside the inner cylinder ll there are three guide bars 25, 26, and

- 21 which are rigidly attached thereto by nuts and bolts 28 which extend through apertures therein and in the ends of cylinder H which extend beyond the extremities of-oylinder It, as clearly illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The guide bars 25, 26 and 21 cooperate with the guide bars ll l1, l3 and IS in a manner now to be described.

At regular intervals along each guide bar l1, I8 and I3 there is a bore, one of which associated with the guide bar I3 is adapted to receive a set screw 23 (see Fig. 4) which is provided with a lock nut 30, said bore being threaded only from the outside inwardly approximately half the distance thereof and the lower end of'ithe set screw 23 being unthreaded.

Fitted within said bore for sliding adjustment is a bushing or bearing 3|. Received in said bushing or bearing 3| is the bearing end of a guide rod or wire bending element 32, the opposite end of which is received by a bushing or bearing 33 providedin an appropriate recess in guide bar 28. It will be understood that guide bar- 26 is substantially diametrically opposite guide bar l3 and that guide bars l1 and I! are substantially diametrically opposite guide bars 25 and 21, respectively.

It will furthermore be understood that guide bars I! and 26, I1 and 25, and I9 and 21 are respectively provided with a plurality of diametrically positioned bushings 3| and 33 between which extend a plurality of guide rods or wire bending elements 32. As illustrated in the drawings, each of said guide bars-l1, l3, I3, 25, 26 and 21 is provided withiour bushings or bearings 3| or 33. Consequently, there will be in all twelve guide rods or wire bending elements 32. It is to be understood that the number may be increased or decreased as desired.

Furthermore, it is evident, particularly from reference to Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings, that the guide rods or wirebending elements 32 extend substantially but not exactly diametrically wire straightener form a with respect to the concentric cylinders l3 and II, and that they are spaced at angles of 120.

degrees each with respect to the other.- This angular spacing is very satisfactory where round wire is to be straightened, or where wedge wire which has as a cross-section an equilateral triangle, is to be straightened. If wire of any other polygonal shape is to be straightened it is to be understood that the guide rods or wire bending elements 32 may be set so that the faces of the wire are substantially parallel with the axes of said guide rods or wire bending elements. Itis furthermore to be understood that while the guide rods or wire bending elements are set up in groups of three that any other number may be employed in excess thereof.

Referring particularly to Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings, it will be noted that three successive guide rods or wire bending elements 32 may be considered as forming a set or group because said three successive elements 32 when viewed from the end form a central opening or eye 34. From another point of view it may be considered that the successive guide rods" or wire bending elements 32 throughout the entire length of the pencil of light opening 34 which is illustrated in Figs. 2, 4 and 5 of the drawings, which will be formed at the center of the concentric cylinders l3 and II and which may be varied in' diameter or area, as hereinafter described.

To elect a variation of the diameter or area of the eyes 34 or, in other words, of the central or pencil of light opening 34 and thereby to accommodate wires of different size or to adjust the straightening action on any wire, I provide a very simple and automatically operating adattached to the ment the ends thereof nuts and bolts 13.

ing elements 32. This adjusting means comprises a plate or lever 33 rigidly attached to the outer cylinder I3 and extending outwardly therefrom. The outer cylinder II is also provided with a longitudinally extending slot 33 through which extends a plate or lever 31 carried by and rigidly inner cylinder II and extending outwardly therefrom.

It is manifest that by rotating the lever 31 in a counter-clockwise direction or toward the lever 33 each of the guide rods 32 is moved toward a true diametrical position with respect to the cylinders II and ll-and this, of course, is effective to contract or reduce the area of the pencil of light opening or eye 34. A clockwise ro'tation of the plate or lever 31 will produce a movement of all the guide rods 32 away from the true diametrical position with respect to the cylinders I3 and II and this will increase the size of the pencil of li ht opening oreyes 34.

It is to be noted that the cylinder I is provided with elongated slots 33 to permit rotation of the said cylinder II with the guide rods 32 passing freely therethrough and the cylinder III is provided with elongated slots 33 to permit the aforementioned movement of the guide rods 32 towardand from the true diametrical podtion.

To hold the plate or lever 31 in any adjusted position it is provided with a bolt and nut 43.;

which extends through receiving apertures in Plates 33 and 31.

To hold cylinder against longitudinal movecarry steps 42 attached by Viewing the structure of the wire straightener in a sligh ly diil'erent manner it may be stated that the ends of longitudinally successive guide rods 32 are at positions on cylinder [3 or H which form a double spiral from one end of either cylinder II or II to the other. That is, a double spiral may be formed by running around the periphery of either cylinder II or H which will contact the cylinder ||l. or H at a pofltion adjacent the pivoting of longitudinally successive guide rods 32. v

The function of the previously described springs 23 and outwardly and inwardlyadJustable guide bars l1, l3 and I9 is to provide for the inward and outward movement of said guide bars l1, l3 and I3 as the guide rods 32 move toward or from their true diametrical positions, since it is evident that the distance of each bearing 33 varies from a fixed point on the cylinder 1 oil of. light opening or eye 34 in either directionand this is preferably first done with said opening 34 formed quite large to allow the wire 4| to thread easily therethrough. This wide opening is, of course, effected by rotating the handle 31 in a clockwise direction, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 4 of the drawings. While thewire 4| is being drawn therethrough the lever 31 is adjusted to rotate the inner cylinder II which will simultaneously move all of the guide rods 32 toward their true diametrical positions and this, cf course, will cause a reduction in the area, diameter or width of the pencil of light opening or eye 34.

The lever 31 is adjusted until the wire 4| in traveling through the opening 34 undergoes a series of bending operations, as illustrated in Fig. 5 of the drawings, and in general the adjustment is eifected by reducing the size of the opening 34 until the wire H, as it comes from the straigtener, tends to have a slight spiral formation. The lever 31 is then rotated in a clockwise direction to increase the size of opening 34 until this spiral effect on the wire ii disappears. This is generally the preferred adjustment for any wire.

It is to be particularly noted that in the structure which I have provided the wire is bent in three different directions and, of course, if there is any increase in the number of guide rods 32 which go to make up a set over the three which I have provided, the wire will be bent in this increased number of directions. I have found in practice that bending the wire in three directions produces very satisfactory straightening results but under certain circumstances it is desirable-to bend it in four or more directions and this, of course, is done by increasing the number of guide rods 32 comprising a set.

It is to be noted that wire of substantially any configuration may be straigtened and while in general the wire 46 will be round in cross-section, the straightener is also very well adapted to straighten wedge wire which is triangular in shape or, for that matter, to straighten wire of any polygonal cross-section.

It is, of course, necessary in straightening wedge wire that theplanes of e wedge wire be not twisted. In general it is desirable to maintain one of the plane surfaces substantially horizontal and this is preferably effected by mounting th wire straightener on the plates it which will cause the wedge wire to issue from the straightener with the top thereof horizontal since the plates H are substantially parallel with the general plane of one of the aligned group of guide rods 32.

As previously mentioned, if the wire to be treated has more than three sides it is preferred that a set of guide rods 32 include a number equal to :dhe number of sides of the wire to be straight en It is to be further noted that each of the guide rods 32 is in the form of a cylinder or roller and preferably but not necessarily there is a rolling action of the guide rods 32 in their bearings as the wire moves through the straightener.

From the above description it is evident that I have produced a very simple wire straightener which is extremely flexible in that it can straighten wire of a wide range of sizes and a wide range of shapes. Furthermore, the amount of straightening action on any wire may be adjusted and in this respectit is to be understood that if a wire is diilicult to straighten the amount of-bending action eflected by the guide rods J2 may, of course, be varied-by adjusting the lever 31, as aforedescribed.

Obviously those skilled in the art may make various changes in the details and arrangement of parts without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the claims hereto appended, and I therefore wish not to be restricted to the precise cohstruction herein dis-' closed.

Having thus described and shown an embodiment of my invention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. A wire straightener comprising a plurality-of sets oft longitudinally spaced guide rods, each set including at least three rods set at different sub- I stantially diametrical positions so that they form a tortuous path through which a wire can pass when bent, and means for adjusting at least one rod of each set toward and from a true diametrical position. v

2. A wire straightener comprising a plurality of sets of longitudinally spaced guide rods, each set including at least three rods set at different substantially diametrical radially angularly related positions so that they form a tortuous path 5 through which a wire can pass when bent.

3. A wire straightener comprising a cylinder, a plurality of sets of longitudinally spaced guide rods therein, each set of rods comprising not less than three longitudinally spaced rods positioned 1 slightly off a diametrical position of said cylinder to form a tortuous path along the center of said cylinder through which a wire can pass when bent, and means for adjusting the rods of each set simultaneously toward or from radial positions thereof to adjust the effective bending of the wire.

4. A wire straightener comprising a cylinder, a plurality of sets of longitudinally spaced guide rods therein, each set of rods comprising not less than three longitudinally spaced rods positioned slightly off a diametrical position of said cylinder to form a tortuous path along the center of said cylinder through which a wire can pass when bent, and. means for adjusting at least one rod of each set simultaneously toward or from radial positions thereof to" adjust the eflective bending of the wire.

5. A wire straightener comprising a pair of concentric cylinders, a plurality of sets of wire bending elements spaced therealong, each set comprising at least three elements each pivoted at one end to one cylinder and at the other end to the other cylinder, the elements of each set extending generally diametrically of said cylinders and being positioned to form a wire guiding path, and means to rotate one of said cylinders with resepect to the other to vary the path of said wire.

6. A wire straightener comprising a pair of concentric cylinders, a plurality of sets of wire bending elements spaced therealong, each set comprising at least three elements at least one of which 40 is pivoted at one end to one cylinder and at the other end to the other cylinder, the elements of each set extending generally diametrically of said cylinders and being positioned to form a wire guiding path, and means to rotate one of said cylinders with respect to the other to vary the path of said wire. 1

'7. A wire straightener comprising a plurality of longitudinally spaced straightening element sets each formed by at least three radially angularly positioned longitudinally spaced apart elements forming an eye when viewedlongitudinally, at least one of each set of which is adjustable to vary the size "of said eyes.

8. A wire straightener comprising a cylindrical alignment'of certain of said guides along said cy- 0 lindricai member, said guides forming a central pencil of light opening through said cylindrical member which has a diameter less'than that of the wire to be straightened and means for adjusting the diametrical positions of the aligned guides to adjust the diameter of said pencil of light opening.

9. A wire straightener comprising a cylindrical member, a plurality of substantially diametrically arranged wire guides the ends of successive longltudinal onesof which form a spiral on said cy lindrical member, there being a recurring alignment of certain of said guides along said cylindrical member, said guides forming a central pencil of light opening through said cylindrical member which has a diameter less than that of the wire to be straightened.

10. A wire straightener comprising a cylindrical member, a plurality of substantially diametrically extending wire guides the similar ends of successive longitudinal onesof which form a spiral on said cylindrical member, there being a recurring alignment of certain of said guides along said cylindrical member, said guides forming a central pencil of light opening through said cylindrical member which has a diameter less than thatot the wire to be straightened, and means for adjusting the diametrical positions of at least one set of aligned guides to adjust the diameter of said pencil of light opening.

11. A wire straightener comprising a pair of concentric cylinders, a plurality of substantially diametrically arranged guides therein spaced longitudinally therealong each having one end pivotally mounted on one cylinder and the other end pivotally mounted on the other cylinder, spring means on one of said cylinders carrying the guide pivots thereon, and means for rotating one of said cylinders relative to the other to adjust said guides toward or from their diametrical; positions.

12. A wire straightener comprising a' pair of concentric cylinders, a plurality 01' substantially diametrically arranged wire guides therein spaced longitudinally therealong, a bearing for one end of each wire guide in one of said cylinders, a plurality of radially adjustable angularly positioned supports attached to said other cylinder, bearings for the other ends of said guides in said supports, spring means urging said supports radially inwardly, and means to rotate said cylinders relative to each other to adjust said guides toward or from a true diametrical position while said supports move radially inwardly or outwardly under the influence of said spring means and wire guides. 3

13. A straightener for wedge wire comprising a plurality of sets of longitudinally spaced rods, each set including three rods set at intersecting substantially diametrical positions longitudinally spaced apart to form a tortuous path through which a wedge wire can pass with each side in contact over a large width with the contacting rod, and means for adjusting at least one rod of each set toward and from a true diametrical position.

14. A straightener for wedge wire comprising a plurality of sets of longitudinally spaced rods, each set including three rods set at intersecting substantially diametrical positions longitudinally spaced apart to form a tortuous path through which a wedge wire can pass with each, side in contact over a large width with the contacting rod.

a spiral on saidcylindrlcal member, there being.

a recurring alignment of every third longitudinally spaced guide along said cylindrical member, said guides forming a central triangular pencil of light opening through said cylindrical member which has a cross-sectional area less than that of the wire to be straightened, and means ior adjusting the diametrical positions or at least one group of aligned guides.

16. A wedge wire straightener comprising a cylindrical member, a plurality oi? substantially diametrically extending wire guides the similar ends of successive longitudinal ones of which form a spiral on said cylindrical member, there being a recurring alignment 0! every third longitudinally spaced guide along said cylindrical member, said guides forming a central triangular pencil of light opening through said cylindrical member which has a cross-sectional area less than that of the wire to'be straightened.

17. A wedge wire straightener comprising a cylindrical member, a plurality of substantially diametrically extending wire guides the similar ends of successive longitudinal ones of which form a spiral on said cylindrical member, there being a recurring alignment of every third longitudinally spaced guide along said cylindrical member, said guides forming a central triangular pencil or light opening through said cylindrical member which has a cross-sectional area less than that oi the wire to be straightened, and means for adjusting the diametrical positions of the aligned guides.

18. A wire straightener comprising at least three non-rotary straightening elements adapted to form astationary path for wire to be straightened and constructed and arranged to bend a wire, passing along said path in at least three dif- 'ferent directions, and means for adjusting at least one of said elements.

19. A wire straightener comprising at least 7 three non-rotary straightening elements adapted to form a stationary path for wire to be straightened and constructed and arranged to bend a wire passing along said path in at least three different directions.

20. A wire straightener comprising a stationary frame, non-rotary straightening elements carried thereby comprising members adapted to bend a wire in at least three diflerent directions as the wire passes along a straightening path formed by said elements.

RICHARD D. 

